Method of collecting a nucleic acid(s)

Abstract

A method of collecting a nucleic acid(s) from a biological sample includes step a) mixing an aluminum oxide support with a water-soluble neutral polymer adsorbed on a surface thereof and a solution containing a nucleic acid(s), thereby adsorbing the nucleic acid(s) to the support; step b) separating the support on which the nucleic acid(s) is/are adsorbed from the solution mixed in step a); and step c) collecting the nucleic acid(s) by adding an eluent to the support on which the nucleic acid(s) is/are adsorbed and which is separated in step b).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of collecting a nucleic acid(s) from a biological sample, comprising:
 step a) adsorbing a water-soluble neutral polymer on a surface of an aluminum oxide support, followed by applying a solution containing the nucleic acid(s) to the surface of the aluminum oxide support to thereby adsorb the nucleic acid(s) to the aluminum oxide support, 
 step b) separating the aluminum oxide support on which the nucleic acid(s) is/are adsorbed from the solution, and 
 step c) collecting the nucleic acid(s) by adding an eluent to the aluminum oxide support on which the nucleic acid(s) is/are adsorbed and which is separated in step b), wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) and hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose, 
 the polymer has a molecular weight of 5 kD to 500 kD, and 
 the concentration of the polymer in step a) is 0.1 wt % or more, 
 wherein the water-soluble neutral polymer is not covalently bound to the aluminum oxide support. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble neutral polymer is a polymer having a zeta potential of not less than −10 mV and not more than +10 mV in a solution of pH 7. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the eluent is a buffer solution. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is blood, urine, saliva, a mucous membrane, sweat, a cultured cell, a culture solution of cultured cells, or a tissue sample or specimen. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the eluent is a buffer solution. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the biological sample is blood, urine, saliva, a mucous membrane, sweat, a cultured cell, a culture solution of cultured cells, or a tissue sample or specimen. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the biological sample is blood, urine, saliva, a mucous membrane, sweat, a cultured cell, a culture solution of cultured cells, or a tissue sample or specimen. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the support in step a) is produced by bringing the polymer solution into contact with the aluminum oxide.